Jam-Filled Muffins

Ingredients:

Melted butter, to grease 

2 cups self-raising flour

3/4 cup caster sugar
6 Tblspoons butter, melted 

1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly whisked
4 1/2 tbs strawberry preserves
2 tbs sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Ground cinnamon, extra, to dust 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Brush six-count muffin pan with melted butter to lightly grease.

Place the flour and caster sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter, milk and egg, and stir until well combined.

Spoon two-thirds of the mixture evenly among the prepared pans. Spoon 3 teaspoons of conserve into the centre of each pan. Top with the remaining muffin mixture and smooth the surface. Combine the demarara sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the mixture. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Set aside in the pans for 15 minutes to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, to make the cinnamon cream, whisk together the cream, icing sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl until the mixture thickens slightly.
Divide muffins among serving plates. Serve with a dollop of cinnamon cream dusted with extra cinnamon.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bowls

Ingredients:

8 ounces butter, room temperature
4 ounces brown sugar
4 ounces white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces flour (about a cup and a half)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Put the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg and vanilla extract into the bowl of a standing mixer.  Beat using the paddle attachment until all ingredients are incorporated. 

Remove the bowl from the stand, the add flour, salt and baking powder.  Return the bowl to the machine and paddle until the dough is formed.  Add the chocolate chips or roughly chopped chocolate and mix until the chocolate is evenly distributed.

This dough will make about two dozen delicious chocolate chip cookies, but if you want to make bowls, you’ll need two oven-proof dishes, one that fits inside another, for each chocolate chip cookie bowl.  Spray the inside of the larger one and the outside of the smaller one with vegetable oil (or butter them).  Press about 1/3 of a cup of the dough into each large bowl.  Press the smaller bowl on top of the dough firmly so that the dough begins to push up around its sides (expansion will take care of the rest).

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove the bowls from the oven and carefully twist the small bowls to free them from the dough (I used sturdy tongs), then remove it, and continue to bake the cookie bowls for 5 minutes of so until the inner bottom of the cookie bowl finishes cooking.

When the bowls are cool enough to handle, cut off any dough that’s over flowed the edge and, very carefully, run a pairing knife along the sides, gently lifting up to delicately free the bottom of the cookie bowl.  Chill completely.

Bacon-BBQ Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

2 slices Texas toast
2-3 T barbecue sauce
2 oz sliced sharp or smoked cheddar cheese
4-6 slices cooked bacon
1 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Butter or margarine
 

Directions:

Heat a skillet over medium. Spread the barbecue sauce over the bread slices, then over one slice arrange cheddar cheese slices, bacon over that, then sprinkle the Monterey Jack over the bacon. Top with remaining bread slice. Melt some butter or margarine in the skillet and place the sandwich on top of the puddle, scooting it around until the bread absorbs the butter. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until cheddar looks melted, then remove and melt more butter in the pan, flip the sandwich and cook additional 4 minutes and serve hot.

All-American Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

 

Salad
4 cups elbow macaroni, cooked, drained, and chilled
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 cup red peppers, chopped
1 cup carrots, grated
3 eggs, hardboiled and chopped
1/2 lb thinly sliced deli ham, diced

Dressing
1-1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp celery seed

Directions:

 

Combine the elbows, onion, celery, peas, red peppers, carrots, eggs, and ham in a large mixing bowl. Then, in a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, vinegar, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, sugar, and celery seed. Mix until fully combined and pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Fold until evenly coated. Chill and serve.

Baked Potato Chips

Ingredients:

6 Medium Size Potatoes
2 - 3 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Butter
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. 

Put the potato on a chopping board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about quarter of an inch intervals.

Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

S'more Cups

Ingredients:

7  whole graham crackers (1 cup finely crushed)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

4 bars (1.55 oz each) milk chocolate candy, divided

12 large marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag. Finely crush into crumbs. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and butter in a small bowl. 

Place 1 tablespoon of crumb mixture in each cup of a mini muffin pan. Press crumbs to form shallow cups. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling. Meanwhile, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven; place one rectangle into each cup.

Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using shears dipped in cold water. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly softened. Remove pans from oven to cooling rack; cool 15 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan. Cool completely.

Break remaining candy bars and place in small microwavable bowl. Microwave on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Dip the top of each marshmallow in melted chocolate. Turn top-side up and let stand 40 to 60 minutes or until set. Makes 24 cups.

Note: Store the cups in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freezing is not recommended. For a richer chocolate flavor, substitute dark chocolate candy bars for the milk chocolate. 

Peach and Honey Cobbler

Ingredients:

For the filling:

2 pounds very ripe peaches (about 4 cups, sliced)
4 tablespoons local honey, or to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

For the biscuit topping:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chilled shortening, cut into cubes
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup buttermilk
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil on the bottom rack to catch drips.

First you need to peel the peaches. Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Cut a small X into the bottom of each peach. Drop the peaches into the boiling water for approximately 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches and immediately submerge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Gently peel the peaches using your hands or a paring knife (the riper the peach, the easier this will be). Cut the peaches into slices or chunks, discarding the pit.

For the peach filling, stir together the sliced peaches and honey in a heavy pot or Dutch oven and allow to sit for a few minutes, until a syrup begins to form. (Be sure to adjust the amount of honey according to the sweetness of the peaches. If they aren’t very sweet, add a little more and vice versa.) 

Add the cornstarch and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 7 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Pour into desired baking dish (approximately 2 – 3 quarts) and set aside.

For the biscuit topping, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using your hands or a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour mixture until it is crumbly and well combined (it should resemble small pebbles). Stir in the cream and buttermilk until just blended.

Using your hands or an ice cream scoop, form round dumplings and drop onto the peach filling. Bake the cobbler uncovered for 25 – 30 minutes, until biscuits are light golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Carefully remove from the oven. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.